Govt to appoint consultant to assess power grid\\\'s vulnerability

State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid has said that the government will appoint a consultant to assess the current situation of the country’s power transmission system. Observing that the country’s power transmission and distribution system has been 30-35 years old, he said it carries a huge risk to the uninterrupted power supply. Nasrul Hamid disclosed this while speaking with the journalists at his Power Ministry office in the city. The disclosure came against the backdrop of the Saturday’s national grid failure when the entire country slipped into a blackout for over 11 hours. The national grid collapsed following a technical glitch at the Bangladesh-India cross border power transmission line being used to import electricity from India. Hamid said the grid system needs a comprehensive and thorough examination to find out its vulnerability. He also thinks the power distribution system of the Rural Electrification Board is most vulnerable which needs massive repairs and replacement with new lines and system, according to a news agency.